Bella Simeti
Senior Disaster Management Officer, Disaster Management Office, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Apia, Samoa
Postgraduate Diploma in Disaster Risk Management and Development
What she loves most about her work is making a positive difference by raising the community’s awareness of disaster risk management, says Bella Simeti who is graduating in December and now works for Samoa’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
“My role involves disaster planning and coordinating national operations during any disasters and emergencies Samoa faces. Our focus is on disaster planning, which is basically developing agency responses, and sectors’ and schools' disaster management plans, and then coordinating a simulation exercise to test these plans to help individuals understand their roles and responsibilities related to these plans.
“I especially enjoy providing training on disaster risk management and awareness in the communities. This helps everyone understand our work, and what we do and offer. Most importantly, it helps them plan and prepare for any future disasters, which helps to protect their lives and properties from residual risks during disasters. I enjoy continuing to work and serve Samoa by building partnerships with sectors, communities and schools to develop and test their disaster management plans.”
An opportunity for growth
Bella – who came to AUT as an international student from Samoa, supported by a Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship – says she enrolled in a Postgraduate Diploma in Disaster Risk Management and Development to strengthen her ability to serve her country.
“Disaster risk management knowledge is limited in Samoa, and we’re grateful for international partnerships to help our island build resilience, through funding, training and resources to build our capacity and skillset. Having worked for over five years with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority, I recognised the need for advanced expertise in this, particularly after being involved in national operations for the measles and COVID-19 responses. AUT offered the ideal programme to achieve this.”
She says she had numerous highlights throughout her time in New Zealand.
“My highlights included engaging with AUT’s Office of Pacific Advancement, AUT’s Sustainability team and the Scholarship Office. I was privileged to represent Samoa as a scholar and ambassador, contributing to Pacific and sustainability initiatives that connected me to the AUT community. Other major highlights were leading the revival of the AUT Samoan Student Association and completing the Beyond AUT Award, which included volunteering work, participating in valuable workshops and conferences, and networking with organisations in Auckland to gain work experience insights.
“I also enjoyed my summer internship with TupuToa, working with insurance company AIA NZ where I was able to relate my field study to the company’s work. I was overwhelmed by the experience and the relationships built during my time at AIA. I’m also proud of being invited into the ANA NZ Student Ambassadors as Intercultural Connectors Award, a leadership programme run by the International Education Association (ISANA NZ) where we worked in teams to deliver an event that attracted diverse gatherings of university students.”
Supported to thrive
Bella says there were a few AUT staff whose support she particularly appreciated throughout her studies at AUT in Auckland.
“George Kimani, Sacha Pointon, Petrina Hibben and Prerna Taneja from AUT’s Scholarships Office made my journey at AUT. Before I even arrived in New Zealand, they made our stay, studies and life in New Zealand more welcoming and convenient, which all of us Manaaki scholars appreciated. The Office of Pacific Advancement and the Vā Pasifika spaces never made us forget about our home islands, our cultures and true identities. The staff were always available to help us out with logistical support for our association’s events and resources for student life and our studies.
“The team at the Student Hub was helpful and assisted any students who faced struggles with accommodation, food and other necessities. My first experience with the Student Hub was when they provided some gift cards to cover the days when I didn’t receive my first allowance after arriving in New Zealand.”
Her advice for other students is simple: enjoy the journey.
“Find your people and be absorbed in all the goodness God has placed in your life to grow and prosper. ‘You are with a purpose, not on purpose’ – there’s a purpose why we offer opportunities to be in spaces that appreciate our skills and knowledge, and to be a reason in people’s lives. That’s how I’d sum up my experiences while studying at AUT and living in New Zealand for a great 18 months. There is a reason for everything, and without me leaving Samoa and moving to New Zealand for a while, I wouldn’t have come across many great minds, people and places, and I wouldn’t have realised the importance of faith in God, and God’s love everywhere and every situation.”
